1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to suction cleaners and more particularly to a dual function cleaner, generally of the upright or floor cleaner type having a roller mounted nozzle housing and a rotary brush adjacent the nozzle in the housing, the cleaner being manipulated by a pivoted handle, and normally being operable for usual rotary brush and suction rug and floor cleaning operation; in which the cleaner is operable through converter mechanism to which various nozzle attachments on wands and flexible hose may be connected for off-the-floor cleaning of upholstery, draperies and the like; and in which when operated for rotary brush rug cleaning low-suction, high-volume airflow is present at the rotary brush nozzle, and when operated for off-the-floor cleaning, high-suction, low-volume airflow is present at any selected nozzle attached to the flexible hose and wand.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Shortly after the advent in the art of the typical upright or portable floor cleaning suction cleaner, it became apparent that different cleaning operations required different degrees of suction; and there are prior patents in the art which at least fifty years ago described the desirability of such suction cleaner which could provide at least two different degrees of suction for different cleaning operations. Such desirable suction characteristics in upright cleaners have continued to be indicated as objectives in many prior patents during the past fifty years.
Some of these prior patents assert that their disclosures solve the problem by providing a single cleaner motor with a plurality of fans driven by that motor either individually or in tandem or in series. However, these proposals really provide no solution of the problem because it has been found that no one motor of a size and cost practical for use in an upright suction cleaner can provide the characteristics of fan operation necessary for producing low-suction, high-volume air movement in a rotary brush driven rug cleaning upright cleaner, and at the same time provide high-suction, low-volume airflow for separate off-the-floor cleaning using a flexible hose and wand with nozzle attachments.
The usual relatively low speed motor is most efficient for fan operation in normal rug cleaning use of an upright cleaner with a power driven brush. However, a relatively high speed motor driven fan is necessary to develop the high suction required for separate off-the-floor cleaning.
As a result, householders frequently have acquired two types of suction cleaners, a usual upright cleaner with power driven brush for performing rug and floor cleaning operations; and a second tank or canister-type cleaner having hose, wand and nozzle attachments for performing off-the-floor cleaning.
One example of a multi-suction prior art upright suction cleaner is disclosed in Leahy U.S. Pat. No. 1,787,537 which asserts that it solves the problem recognized more than fifty years ago by providing a cleaner with a plurality of nozzles and a plurality of fans driven by a single motor. This disclosure failed to recognize the impossibility, with a single motor, of developing the degree of high suction required in one mode of operation and the usual degree of low suction normally present in a driven agitator-type floor cleaner.
Another example of a multi-suction cleaner is disclosed in Carlstedt U.S. Pat. No. 2,064,587. The cleaner of this patent draws air into a nozzle and then discharges it directly into a dust bag, the suction being effective outside of the dust bag and within a container. There is one motor with a fan at either end of the motor shaft. There is a valve so that the two fans may be connected either in parallel or in series. Thus, two different degrees of suction are possible. However, such alternate operation with one motor does not really produce high suction of the degree required for efficient attachment-tool cleaning.
Another example of a dual-operating motor-driven suction cleaner is disclosed in Benson U.S. Pat. No. 2,218,035. The cleaner has one motor with a fan on each end of the motor shaft and a power driven brush. When operated for floor cleaning, the brush is driven by the motor as well as both fans. This patent suggests that the two fans will produce the greater suction effect essential for dirt removal from floor coverings, while the upper fan will be sufficient for cleaning articles other than floor coverings. Here, again, Benson failed to appreciate that the degree of high suction necessary for efficient off-the-floor cleaning can only be produced by a high-speed motor and not by a motor that drives one or more fans for agitated rug cleaning.
Still another example of a prior art patent that notes the problem existing regarding different requirements for floor cleaning and off-the-floor cleaning is Kirby U.S. Pat. No. 2,648,396 which indicates that the problem still existing at that time had made it necessary for the usual home to have two types of cleaners for the two indicated types of cleaning. Again, Kirby has the same motor with the same two-stage fan that provides suction for normal floor cleaning and also provides the same suction for off-the-floor cleaning.
As previously stated, no one motor of a size and cost practical for a suction cleaner can provide fan operation necessary for producing low suction and high suction for separate rug and off-the-floor cleaning.
A number of upright type suction cleaners currently are on the market of many different designs which seek to provide low-suction and high-suction operation for rug and off-the-floor cleaning. All of these cleaners have a single motor and use various arrangements for obtaining a change in the degree of nozzle suction provided. These arrangements include changing the path of airflow, disconnecting the power-driven brush, installing a converter attachment across the floor cleaning nozzle, closing off the floor cleaning nozzle, and disconnecting the belt drive for the brush and connecting a converter through the main nozzle housing directly to the fan.
Such cleaners currently on the market, powered with a single motor, and controlling or altering airflow and brush operation in various ways provide 11/2" to 7" of water suction during rug or floor cleaning, and from 12" to 24" of water suction for off-the-floor cleaning.
However, we have found that while 5" to 7" of water suction is sufficient for rotary brush rug cleaning operation, in order to properly and efficiently perform off-the-floor cleaning operations on upholstery, draperies, etc., up to approximately 70" of water suction is required. Such a suction output range of 5" to 70" of water suction for a dual function cleaner does not appear to be possible using one motor of a size and cost practical for an upright suction cleaner.
We have discovered that the need that has long existed in the art may be satisfied, and that the problems which have been encountered and continue to exist with all prior art devices of which we are aware, may be solved by the new multi-motor suction cleaner construction of the invention wherein two different motors and fans driven thereby are used, selectively, for delivering the two widely different degrees of suction required for efficient agitated floor and off-the-floor cleaning operations. The new construction is characterized further by providing a dust filter located in a closed compartment carried by the floor cleaner handle, and establishing a usual airflow path of usual type from the nozzle housing and the fan of one motor-fan unit to the filter with low-suction, high-volume airflow; and establishing a path of suction airflow from a high-speed motor-fan unit located in the compartment to draw air through the filter from a flexible hose, and wand and nozzle attachments connected through a converter-diverter introduced into the normal inlet passages for the filter.